Andy Pettitte’s hopes of taking his regularly scheduled turn Thursday are dead. Even if Pettitte’s slightly strained left groin doesn’t give him a problem in a bullpen session Tuesday, Joe Torre has decided Pettitte will start either Friday or Saturday against the Mets at Shea Stadium instead of the Expos at Yankee Stadium Thursday night.

“He will throw on Tuesday and then we will see how it goes and figure it out,” Torre said of Pettitte, who was forced out of Friday night’s game in the sixth inning with a tight left groin.

Provided Ramiro Mendoza comes through yesterday’s sub-par effort against the Braves without a problem in his surgically repaired right shoulder, he will go Thursday.

There is no chance the juggled rotation will put Roger Clemens at Shea Stadium during the weekend. He goes Wednesday, one day after Ted Lilly.

“It feels good, I am on schedule,” Pettitte said before Torre made his decision. “It was tight when I first got up but a good sign is that they are using heat already. They usually use ice for a while. I am going to be real careful right now.”

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In a perfect world, Mendoza is in Torre’s bullpen. But with El Duque on the shelf with a foot problem, Torre inserted Mendoza into the rotation where he has pitched ineffectively. However, without another option, Mendoza is expected to stay a starter.

“I have to be careful,” said Mendoza, who gave up five runs and nine hits in 10-6 loss to the Braves in five innings yesterday for a no decision. “My arm is well, but I have to make sure I go on pitching.”

In two starts, Mendoza hasn’t been the pitcher of record but in 92/3 innings he has been punished for 16 hits and nine runs (8.39 ERA).

“The thing I am pleased about was that there were no physical problems,” Torre said. “He was up and he wasn’t getting the ball down. He put up those final two zeroes [in the fourth and fifth]. He didn’t quit.”

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Jorge Posada hasn’t caught since he sprained his left thumb a week ago today. However, Torre said there is a possibility Posada, who has DHed the past two games, could return full-time action today.